We asked some of the most talented folks in the community to talk to us about projects they’ve worked on that they still think about, projects that really meant something. Have you had such an experience? Are you looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out the stories below, they are exciting, entertaining, and most importantly – inspiring.

Jana Krumholtz

My One-Woman Show titled, ‘6 Million Jews Didn’t Die For You To…’ has been the most meaningful project I’ve worked on. I wrote it, produced, choreographed, directed and performed it. So it is truly my baby. This is the most intimate, vulnerable storyline of my life. Once I knew it was time to share it, I knew that I needed to work on it and create it completely alone, to really birth it organically. No one else’s opinions, not trying to “shape it” or “make it better” from the get. Just truly say my truth. And that is exactly what I did and it has been so beyond special, healing and connecting. Read more>>

Adriana Nocco

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is the launch of Shatter The Glass Productions (STG), the theatre and production company that I recently co-founded. Our goal is to break down barriers and build safe, inclusive spaces for marginalized and underrepresented voices, especially within the New York City performance scene and the broader entertainment industry. At STG, we consider Access, Community, & Equity to be our three core guiding principles. Read more>>

Moses Slovatizki

In 2023, I had the honor of capturing images globally for the Associated French Press, and one of the most meaningful assignments of my career took place in Lahaina and Kula, Maui. Being there in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires was not just about photography—it was about bearing witness. Entire communities were forever changed, and through my lens, I felt the responsibility to document not only the destruction but also the resilience, grief, and unity of the people who called these places home. These weren’t just photographs; they were pieces of history, moments that needed to be remembered so the world could understand the weight of what had been lost and the strength of those beginning to rebuild. Read more>>

Deanna DeShea

I’m currently working on my first art book—a collection of photographs, memories, thoughts, and feelings that reflect my six-year journey traveling through Africa and immersing myself in the wild. Creating this book has been a dream of mine for years: to design a large-format art book that feels like a work of art in itself. After a year in the making, it’s finally coming to life. Read more>>

Hannah Gentiles

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is an ongoing creation called Texture Presidio. This project, a messy photo essay and storytelling endeavor, is a celebration of what makes Presidio, Texas, a unique border town in Far West Texas. It’s a reflection of the diverse ‘textures’ of the community, from its people to its landscapes, and aims to share the beauty of this often overlooked border community. Having lived in the Big Bend Region for over a decade, I moved to my husband’s hometown of Presidio (pop. 3,047) from Marfa (pop. 1,641), Texas, a small but popular tourist destination one hour north on a gorgeous drive through the West Texas Mountains. I sought a way to share what I found special about this community, one very different than where I grew up in the suburbs outside of Austin, Texas, or from my decade in Nashville in my 20s. Read more>>

Jessica Lynn

A lot of my content is centered around wine. I love the act and process of learning: while sipping a glass is enjoyable, there’s really nothing I enjoy more than getting my boots on the ground and seeing how everything works. My work has brought me to vineyards in Oregon blending my own wine bottles, to harvest in California, to visiting wine makers in Michigan to understand the unique value of their terroir and climate. But giving back to others also means something to me, and I’ve always been keen to figure out how I can take what I love and translate that into meaningful impact. Read more>>

SURFACE GREY

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on would have to be my latest project, “Da Green Tape.” Many don’t know I had an environment for this project way back in 2022 and the idea came to me after a weekend long stay at home! I been holding onto the idea for 3 years just slowly but surely perfecting and crafting the project with each precise touch. The original name of the project was, “Luv Games,” but I heard, “Green Eyes,” by Ms. Badu which I eventually knew that the green (jealousy) part would play a big role in the tape fitting better than the original. Read more>>

Erin McGuiness

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was an artist residency in Malta — a small island nation between Sicily and North Africa, rich with a cultural crossroads and home to some of the world’s oldest standing temple sites, predating Stonehenge. I had long studied the work of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, whose research into Old European, pre-Christian cultures revealed a society that revered the Earth and the Goddess, valued connection and cooperation, and flourished for a thousand years without war. Their symbols, myths, and architecture carried a wisdom I believe we need now. Read more>>

Rohan Gaikwad

One of the most meaningful projects I have led was the design of Node Map 3D at ServiceNow, a global enterprise platform powering digital operations for many of the world’s largest organizations. The challenge we faced was helping users make sense of sprawling IT infrastructures, systems with thousands of interconnected assets that traditional tools failed to represent clearly or meaningfully. Read more>>

Carmen Pizarro

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was working on an illustration with the Brooklyn Public Library on their Pride Campaign last year for Pride month. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to work with a local organization that is essential to the community. Highlighting local queer artists along with giving me full reign of how I want to approach the project was so refreshing. It really helped me connect with a lot of peers in my borough. I felt that I was a part of something bigger than me and to be able to celebrate it. Its always heartwarming when people ask about the project or show me their bookmark with my illustration on it. Read more>>

KING OUTLAW

1% Better Everyday is a program and philosophy that I’ve used to not only elevate myself but those around me. In 2010 I was just beginning my career as a professional fighter with no prior experience in combat sports, and this mantra became a way of life. Often times we compare ourselves to others and where they are in their journey, instead of understanding that we are all on different paths. I created the 1% Better Everyday philosophy so that I could focus inward and out all energy into incremental improvements daily. Fast forward to today, and the mantra and mindset of 1% Better Everyday is used as a staple in personal development. Now as an artist, all of the music that I create, feeds that philosophy and puts all who follow into a WINNERS mindset. Read more>>

Preeti Desai

One of the projects I’m most proud of came to life in the first few months of the pandemic, during my time as Senior Director of Social Media at the National Audubon Society. As the world went into lockdown and everyone was suddenly confined to their homes, we were all looking for ways to feel connected—to nature, to each other, to something beyond our four walls. Birds became that lifeline for many. Out of that moment, we created I Saw A Bird, a live, interactive online show designed to bring the wonder of birds to people’s screens, when they couldn’t step outside to find them. Read more>>

John Lin

The most meaningful project I worked on was an AI feature proposal for IKEA. The idea came from the fact that many people struggle to picture how furniture will actually fit into their own rooms. We designed a feature where users can take a photo of their space, and AI automatically detects key corners or walls, creating clickable “AI sensing points.” Each point suggests furniture or décor ideas based on the user’s habits and purchase history, and users can preview them instantly in AR. Read more>>

Kim Eckroth

The most meaningful projects I work on are always in partnership with florists or chefs. Functional ceramics is inherently collaborative; my finished work is only half of the installation. Vases must be filled with flowers, plates must be lined with food– it is then and only then that my work is “complete” and has served its purpose. Read more>>

Sakshi Shinde

I did my under graduation in video film design. For my undergrad’s final project, I didn’t want to just make a film, I wanted to spark a conversation. So, I chose to tackle one of society’s most awkward taboos: menstruation. I wanted to make an anthology of three short films. The first was a fictional piece I produced entirely on my own. The second was a documentary about an incredible village in Kerala, India, the first modern community to ditch sanitary napkins completely by switching to menstrual cups. All the efforts were to cut down on waste, protect the environment and switch towards safer menstrual hygiene practices. Read more>>

Jake

The most meaningful project I have ever worked on was a mural I painted for a co-work kitchen space at their entrance. This was one of the first murals I painted of my own design when I moved to Atlanta, GA. I was recommended through word of mouth, and they were happy with me just painting whatever I felt like. That was a new feeling! Read more>>

Josiah Bolth

By far the most meaningful project I have ever worked on was the Palestinian Resistance Fair in 2024, which I helped to coordinate alongside the incredibly talented curators Lana Murad and Sara Madandar, and event producers Rory Michelen and Becka McLoughlin. Organizing this event was something well-outside my area of experience, but an opportunity had presented itself that we felt we could not ignore: the opportunity to turn a community art complex, with sound stages, galleries, and theaters, into a space dedicated to the Palestinian Resistance and those who support them, and hosting the local organizations we felt were doing the most important work in this regard. Read more>>

Jade Watring

I would say that the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far was the Milwaukee 2020 Filmfest poster- that was by far my most professional job I got as a freelancer.
Another reason that it was meaningful was it was one of my first freelance jobs I got after my brain surgery. In 2019 I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, and experienced a huge loss of dexterity on the right side of my body after my surgery. I was terrified that my drawing ability would be impaired but I was so glad when I realized that it remained intact 💖 Read more>>

Ted Page

My most meaningful project is the writing of Good Grandpa: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood, which will be published by Regalo Press September 2nd and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The backstory is that when I became a grandpa about 10 years ago, I could find nothing to help me navigate this new life landscape. Everyone on the web was about the movie Bad Grandpa. So I started a blog called Good Grandpa to tell my stories. Over time, other grandpas from all walks of life reached out to me to share there stories. For my book, I interviewed grandpas like Tom Brokaw, John Cleese (Python alum), vets from each branch of the military, religious leaders, pro athletes and many more. I’ve gathered my life stories and wisdom, along with theirs, to help nurture the next great generation. Read more>>

Michael Cory Davis

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my current non-fiction book Life Break Free Win. It’s deeply personal because it represents a culmination of my life experiences — growing up as a Black male in 1980s and ’90s New York, my career as an actor, filmmaker, and my work as an activist and subject matter expert on sex trafficking. The book is about raising high-conscious, emotionally intelligent men in society, and for me, it brings all of those perspectives together. I believe that building a better world starts with developing men who are self-aware, compassionate, and responsible, and this project allows me to contribute directly to that vision. Read more>>

David Ippolito

At the risk of sounding trite, EVERY artistic project I’ve worked on has been meaningful in one way or another. Every script has a purpose. Every song has a purpose. I mean, if they didn’t… what’s the point of Creating?

As a songwriter, most often the purpose of the song is to let somebody know they’re not alone. Whether it’s something romantic, about Love, about heartbreak, whether it’s funny or whether it’s about any facet of the human experience, my lyrics should let a person know they’re not the only one who feels that way or felt that way. Read more>>

Juliana Padilla

Funny enough, the project that comes to mind is also the smallest one on my resume so far.
In my high-school, located in the middle of the forest about 45min out of the metropolitan area of Mexico City, there was nothing close to a musical theatre club, or group or culture.
My uncle has lived in NYC for the majority of his life and the entirety of mine, so growing up we used to visit him around once a year. On one of these trips, my uncle took me to see “Ordinary Days”, a musical by Adam Wong. This was a small theatre with a crowd of no more than 30 people. The set was simple and the lights were dim. Read more>>

Lisa Lee Freeman

One of my most meaningful projects is an expansive, 15-foot artwork called This is the River This is the Sea, which I’m creating for a fall art exhibition called Meltdown. The piece is about the Hudson River’s vulnerability to climate change as well as its status as the largest Superfund site in the country. What makes the work especially poignant is that it’s an NEA grant-funded project about global warming at a time when the arts and environmental advocacy are under attack. The environment is a major focus of my art practice. Read more>>

Denise Gallagher

“A Tip Tap Tale: The Musical!”

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on has been “A Tip Tap Tale: The Musical!,” a theatrical adaptation of my picture book “A Tip Tap Tale.”

My mother was a kindergarten teacher and even as I grew older, I loved to visit her classroom library and pore over the picture books. I loved the illustrations as well as the language. Later, I got a degree in art and, while I worked as a graphic designer for many years, I never gave up on my dream of illustrating picture books. Read more>>

Silas Huff

I trained as a classical musician (bachelors in classical guitar, masters in music composition, independent study of orchestral conducting), and started working as an orchestra conductor about 20 years ago. I was working in New York City as an opera producer and symphonic conductor for almost a decade when a colleague suggested I apply to be a conductor for the U.S. Army. I had little interest…I am not a marching band guy…I was, at that time, on staff at the Manhattan School of Music and Director of the Astoria Symphony Orchestra. Read more>>

Tom Koch

Olive has, without a doubt, been the most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on. It’s the film that I’ve lived with the longest; nearly two years now! Carrying it from the earliest days of writing and development through to the shoot, the production, and its premiere in Los Angeles. The process has been an incredible, unique experience, not only because I had full creative control over the story, but also because I had the chance to bring together a team of extraordinary collaborators. At its heart, Olive is a short film that deals with love and memory, starring Lesley Ann Warren. Read more>>

Po Sim Head

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on has been performing and sharing music by lesser-known composers, particularly from Peru. My doctoral research first introduced me to Francisco Pulgar-Vidal, whose piano works reflect the country’s traditions yet remain virtually unknown outside Peru. Since then, I have expanded this focus to include contemporary Peruvian voices such as Sadiel Cuentas, Daniel Cueto, Jimmy López, Antonio Gervasoni, and Claudia Sofía Álvarez Cuba. Each composer offers a unique perspective that blends Peruvian identity with modern expression, and I have found great fulfillment in bringing their music to international audiences. Read more>>

Nico Lugo Echeverri

Over the past couple years I’ve done so many meaningful projects, from singing next to Kristen Chenoweth (Glinda, Wicked) on a Broadway Stage (Stephen Sondheim Theater) to performing at the renowned David Geffen Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. But this year (2025) I had the opportunity to not only perform but to also be a part of the creative team as the choreographer for the one-night-only show “Sabor y Pasion In the Battery” at the New York Film Academy Theater in collaboration with Carnegie Hall Festival Season “Nuestros Sonidos”, celebrating the vibrant sounds, pioneering rhythms, traditions and enourmous influence of Latin culture in the US. Read more>>

Daniele Gemelli

magari. magari is my first upcoming debut album, and as of now is representing the truest, evolving image of myself. Having always written for others and performed shows with other artists’ music, this is turning to be a life-changing experience, with all its up and downs.

The art of making music and writing songs is such an underrated process today, especially with the fast pace of life that leaves little room to process thoughts, experiences, and feelings. Committing to this album really allowed me to grow exponentially not only as an artist, but as human being. Read more>>

Ishmael Hunter

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my final photo project in undergrad. It was the first assignment where I had felt I had no limits which meant I was allowed to anything with mixing mediums and formats and topics. I knew from the start that I had wanted to do a project based on myself and how I grew up in the church. Being a pastors son meant that a lot if not all of my life was a little performative. Constantly living on display for the congregation or used as a reference point or example for other people to model themselves after. I did end up going back to church for the first time in a few years. Read more>>

Lorenzo Liberti

I’ve gotten a flag in a hospital in every state and raised over $50k for different charities. (30K for Homeless Veterans in 2020 alone. Read more>>

Claire McCauley

The project that is most meaningful to me is ongoing. When I was 24, I lost my close friend, Jenny Greenberg, unexpectantly. She was bright, funny, smart, compassionate, mischievous, and loved to travel. She was a loud feminist, moved to Ireland for a year, stole salt shakers from every restaurant we went to, and loved to tell white lies to the children she worked with. We had just moved from Madison WI to Chicago together and were excited for the future when her life was cut short. On the first anniversary of her passing, I had made little figures to leave around the city with a little note tied to them, “for anyone who has lost a friend”. Read more>>

Pablo Pauldo

Back in April 2025, I took part in an audition / creative residency for a piece. I already knew who the choreographer was, and just from that, I knew we were going to do something special—something that would leave a mark on me for years. And it did. Read more>>

Daniel Steger

The most meaningful projects to me are not necessarily the ones that bring the highest commissions or that you’d automatically find in a magazine spread. They’re the ones that result in people’s dreams coming true, literally. When someone decides to have a new home designed or add space to an existing home, it’s generally something they’ve been thinking about for a long time. There’s a lot on the line, not just financially but also emotionally. And I very much take to heart that when someone hires me, they’re hiring their genie, so to speak, the one that’s going to finally get them their wishes granted. Read more>>

Peter Xifaras

I’m very excited about this album, ADAGIO GROOVES, as it is the first of its kind for me. As I tend to gravitate towards jazz and classical projects, I decided this time to integrate the two, something I refer to as Third Stream 2.0. Third Stream was coined by composer Gunther Schuller in 1957 to describe compositions that incorporate the improvisational and rhythmic aspects of jazz with the sophisticated structures and instrumentation of classical music. While Third Stream music acknowledges the existence of “two streams” of Western art music (classical and jazz), it is a musical genre that blends elements of classical and jazz that aim to create a new musical landscape where both genres coexist and complement each other, rather than remain separate. Read more>>

Serena Buschi

My practice is grounded in interrelated bodies of nets and grids, through which I explore repair, transformation, and the veiled systems of connection that shape experience. These bodies of work are expressions of a consistent, evolving language that honors rupture and restoration. Whether through suspended net forms, gridded fiber-paper compositions, or participatory sound and stitching, my work seeks to soften hard systems, trace ancestral lines, and disrupt what no longer serves. Read more>>

Francesco Pio Bertozzi

The most significant project I have worked on, is my latest album, The Art Of The Duo, recorded with my italian group “I Musici Gemelli,” formed by me and my twin brother, Giuseppe Pio Bertozzi. The album was recorded in Pure DSD format for the Hunnia Records & Film Production label. Read more>>

St. Courts

The most meaningful project to me was a collaboration of my late mentee’s Ian ‘Cali’ Adams idea which was name ‘The North Memphis Classic’. Basketball Game/Vending Event that took place at Manassas High School gym where Ian and majority of the Smokey City, New Chicago, and Klondike’s youth attended. The ‘North Memphis Classic’ to bring together all the community from all areas and generations to support local businesses and talent and fellowship together by products, services and entertainment. Read more>>